The Stairway Fund
The Stairway Fund is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 grants included general operating support and annual gifts to organizations working in areas such as the arts, education, conservation, neighborhood development, health research, and emergency services.
The Stairway Fund at a glance
In short: The Stairway Fund gave $597K across 69 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in New York. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $596,800
- -8.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 69
- +9.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,649
- -16.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,214,223
- +41.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (18 of 63, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (54% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Stairway Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 225 W Wacker Drive 2150, Chicago, IL 60606-1224
Phone: (312) 621-0590
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Stairway Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Washington University ($100K). Together the top 10 received $353K.
Grant Size Distribution
286 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 275 grants of 286 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (54%), Missouri (18%), and Connecticut (16%). Smaller shares went to California (5%) and Washington, DC (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Stairway Fund open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 63 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 369% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $417K (2021) to $683K (2022). In 2024 it made 69 grants totaling $597K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washington University St. Louis, MO | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $100,000 |
| Theatre for a New Audience (Tfana) New York, NY | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $35,000 |
| Museum of Modern Art - New York New York, NY | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $25,000 |
| Steep Rock Association Washington, CT | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $25,000 |
| Trinity College Hartford, CT | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $25,000 |
| Union Square Partnership Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $25,000 |
| Madison Square Park Conservancy (MSPC) New York, NY | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $23,000 |
| Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $20,000 |
| Studio Museum in Harlem New York, NY | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $20,000 |
| Union Square Partnership Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support/Annual Gift | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Stairway Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,214,223 | $1,608,735 | $551,435 | $596,800 | 69 | $599,170 | $219,112 | $162,450 |
| 2023 | $2,266,623 | $146,670 | $514,619 | $652,026 | 63 | $658,634 | $130,947 | $118,855 |
| 2022 | $2,845,178 | $428,024 | $990,747 | $682,681 | 62 | $688,845 | $155,260 | $148,300 |
| 2021 | $3,242,950 | $356,630 | $416,211 | $417,281 | 46 | $422,792 | $276,272 | $183,502 |
| 2020 | $3,406,294 | $117,486 | $451,565 | $497,112 | 46 | — | — | $181,992 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Stairway Fund reported a distributable amount of $162K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the funder is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Steep Rock Association says its mission is to conserve ecologically and historically significant landscapes and riparian corridors and connect its community with nature. Trinity College describes its mission as providing excellence in liberal arts education. Union Square Partnership says it advocates for economic growth in the Union Square–14th Street neighborhood and works with local businesses, residents, and cultural and academic institutions.
Other 2024 recipients include Target ALS Foundation, whose stated mission is to overcome barriers to ALS research and advance effective treatments, and Share Our Strength, which says it works to address hunger and poverty and help communities feed children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund made 69 grants totaling $596,800. Grants ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest award listed was $100,000 to Washington University for general operating support/annual gift. Other notable grants included $35,000 to Theatre for a New Audience, $25,000 each to the Museum of Modern Art, Steep Rock Association, Trinity College, and Union Square Partnership, and $20,000 each to Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and Union Square Partnership. These listed grants were for general operating support/annual gifts.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Daniel H. Meyer as president and director; Audrey H. Meyer as secretary and director; Michael McQuinn as vice president; Hallie Louise Meyer as director; and Lauren K. MacDonald as treasurer.
The Stairway Fund is led by Daniel H. Meyer, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Daniel H. Meyer
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Audrey H. Meyer
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hallie Louise Meyer
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren K. Macdonald
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael McQuinn
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Stairway Fund
How much does The Stairway Fund give each year?
The Stairway Fund gave $597K across 69 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $652K across 63 grants.
What is The Stairway Fund's typical grant size?
The Stairway Fund's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,649, across 69 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Stairway Fund that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Stairway Fund give grants?
The Stairway Fund gives mostly in New York: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Missouri (18%) and Connecticut (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (34 grants), Washington, CT (8 grants), Brooklyn, NY (5 grants) and Saint Louis, MO (3 grants).
Does The Stairway Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Stairway Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (69 of 69) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Stairway Fund's largest grantees?
The Stairway Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Washington University ($100,000), Union Square Partnership Inc ($45,000 across 2 grants) and Theatre for a New Audience (Tfana) ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Stairway Fund?
The Stairway Fund reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $599K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $162K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Stairway Fund fund?
No mission statement for the funder is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Steep Rock Association says its mission is to conserve ecologically and historically significant landscapes and riparian corridors and connect its community with nature. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Stairway Fund?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Stairway Fund's EIN?
The Stairway Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0286949. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Stairway Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Stairway Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Stairway Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Stairway Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-stairway-fund-morg_66a2234c48a449c1b4b61360d87d7e1e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300286949_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Stairway Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-stairway-fund-morg_66a2234c48a449c1b4b61360d87d7e1e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Stairway Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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